Step plate



Nov. 6, 1934. G. E. BULLOCK STEP PLATE Filed June 7, 1933 INVENTOR GMES f.' .5u/.Lock

LTTORNEY Patented Nov. 6, 1.934

STEP PLATE Giles E. Bullock, Rochester, N. Y., assigner to The E. C. Brown Co., Rochester, N. Y.

Application June 7, 1933, Serial No. 674,725

8 Claims.

This invention relates to step plates for triycycles and other similar vehicles and has for one fof its objects to so construct a double step plate that it may be quickly and easily attached to the I vehicle as a single unit.

Another object of this invention is to provide the double step plate with means whereby it may be adjustably anchored to both the frame and the axle of the vehicle.

Another object of this invention is to provide the step plate with novel adjusting .means which permit the use of the same step plate on velocipedes having varying diameter front wheels.

. A further object of this invention is to so construct the double step plate that the weight of a child stepping on it cannot turn the axle on which the step plate is supported and throw the plate out of adjustment.

These and-other .iobjects and attendant advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the detailed description and one embodiment thereof which follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a detail top plan View of the double step plate.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the double step plate and the rear fork of a tri-cycle to which it is attached.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the double step plate and the portion of the rear fork on which it is mounted, the section being taken on the line Ssn-3:1: of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a top plan View of a portion of the double step plate and the rear fork of the vehicle on which it is supported and held anchored thereon. s

In the several figures of the drawing like reference numerals indicate like parts.

The double step plate forming the subject matter of my present invention is especially adapted for use on tricycles having a trifurcated rear frame or fork 1 with a stationary axle 2 supported in the ends of the fork as illustrated in Figure 2. The axle 2'is preferably held in place in the fork by a drive fit t'o keep it from moving endwise in the frame and to permit the mounting of the rear wheels (not shown) on the outer ends of the axle on the outside of the fork.

The double step plate 3 is positioned on top of the stationary axle with one half of the plate located on one side of the middle member 4 of the fork and the other half located on the other side thereof. The two halves of the double step plate are joined at the rear to provide a recess 5 between them. The middle member 4 of the fork 1 engages into this recess and thus automatically locates the step plate in the middle of the fork. IThe middle section of the double step plate which connects the two halves at the rear thereof projects angularly below the step plate substantially parallel to the member 4 of the fork and thus provides a bracing member 6 having a set screw 7 threaded thereinto near the upper end and a set screw 8 threaded thereinto near the lower end from the rear thereof. These set screws are slightly out of line with the center line of the member 4 of the fork so that when threaded against the back of this member, one will engage to one side and the other to the other side of the center line of the member 4.

On the bottom of each of the halves of the double step plate, approximately in the middle thereof, is provided a flange 9 which is inclined :rearwardly of the step plate; These flanges provide an angular recess at the bottom of each half of the step plate as illustrated in Figure 3. The axle 2 is forced into these recesses and held anchored therein when the set screws 7 and 8 are threaded against the member 4 -of the fork 1. Sufcient room is left between the connecting member or brace 6 of the step plate and the member 4 of the fork 1 to permit an angular adjustment of the step plate on the axle 2. This is done by adjusting the set screws 7 and 8 separately against the member 4 until the plate has been turned to rest on the shaft with its top surface in a horizontal position.

The two set screws thus hold the step plate against lateral movement on the member 4 of the fork due to the engagement of the set screws on each side of the cylindrical surface, anchor the step plate to the shaft 2 by drawing the angular flanges 9 against the shaft to clamp it into the angular recesses on the under side of the step plate formed by the anges 9 and brace the 95 step plate in an adjustable angular positionl against the member 4 of the fork to prevent the rotation of the step plate and the shaft when stepping on the step plate.

I claim:

1. A step plate adapted to be removably supported on a shaft mounted in a fork of a vehicle, anchoring means on said step plate removably engaging said shaft and a bracing member on said step plate projecting laterally and downwardlyv thereof to removably engage in front of said fork and cooperate with said anchoring means to support and anchor said step plate on said fork and said shaft.

2. A step plate adapted to be braced on the middle member of a trifurcated fork of a vehicle and supported on the axle mounted in said fork, said step plate having a recess in the middle thereof adapted to have said middle fork member extend therethru, a bracing member carried by said step plate adapted to engage said middle fork member and brace said step plate in an angular position on said middle fork member and means for anchoring said step plate to the aXl'e on one side of said middle fork member.

3. A step plate adapted to be braced 'on l'the middle member of a trifurcated fork of a vehicle and supported on the axle mounted in said forli, said step plate being divided into two sections With the sections adapted to be supported on said shaft at opposite sides of 4said rnidfdle;forlgfmember, a bracing member connecting thetwo sections at the front thereof, a 'iiangeidepending from the bottom of each of said sections and aset screw carried by said bracing member and adapted to engage the front of said middle fork member and .draw said iianges of said step plate against said shaft.

4. A step plate adapted to be braced on the middle member of a trifurcated fork of a vehicle and supported on the axle mounted in said fork, said step plate extending from one side of said mid dle fork member to the other side thereof and being supported on said shaft on both sides of said middle fork member, a bracing member depending from the front of said step plate in front of said middle fork member, anchoring means depending from the bottom of saidstep plate to engage said shaft, a pair of set screws in said bracing member adapted to engage said middle fork member at opposite sides of the center line thereof .to draw said anchoring means against said shaft.

5. A step plate adapted to be supported on a shaft projecting from a supporting member, coniprising a plate member having a recess therein adapted to have the supporting member project therethru, a lug provided on the under side of said plate member and clamping means provided in the` closed end of said recess in said plate member and adapted to engage said supporting member to draw said lug against said shaft and hold the plate member against rotation on said shaft.

'6. A ystep plate adapted to be supported on a shaft projecting from a supporting member, comprising a plate member having a recess therein adapted to have said supporting member projecttherethru, a lug provided on the under side fof 'said plate member and variable clamping means provided in the closed end of said recess A'and"engaging-said supporting member above and belowusaidshaft to draw said lug against said shaft and adjustably hold said plate member on top thereof.

'7. A step plate adapted to be supported on a shaft projecting from a supporting member, comprising a plate member having a recess therein, shaft engaging means on said plate member 4adapted to `engage said shaft While being sup- Yand clamping means carried by said bracing member and adjustable toward said flange to clamp a supporting'member betweenthem.

GILEsfE. BULLOCK. 

